Souq.com goes from strength to international strength

Shoppers in the region are in luck to witness a fierce competition among e-commerce platforms aimed at offering them the best offers, promotions and services throughout the year.

The latest move in this direction is the launching of Amazon Global Store by E-commerce giant Souq, allowing customers in the UAE to choose from over one million products from US-based Amazon.com, in Arabic or English, and pay in AED, according to media statements.

“The products from Amazon are primarily intended to supplement key areas where Souq is lacking in selection, including fashion and apparel,” Souq chief executive Ronaldo Mouchawar, said to the media.

But what is the benefit of such a move?

Wider selection in the region

“This brings global selection closer to our customers in the region, and we will continue to grow this further,” Mouchawar said.

Souq’s customers will have the choice of ordering with priority shipping, meaning their purchase will arrive between two to five business days, or expedited shipping, with a delivery time of six to ten days.

“All prices will be inclusive of import fees and taxes and checkout to avoid the hassle of people having to pay for their package to clear customs,” said media statements quoting Mouchawar.

Souq’s latest move is one more proof of success and great added value that this platform is bringing to the e-commerce market in the region.

Souq is moving from one success and strength to another with the variety of services it is offering in this part of the world.

Tech Crunch, a platform for technology reviews, quoted Mouchawar saying earlier this year: “We are guided by many of the same principles as Amazon, and this acquisition is a critical next step in growing our e-commerce presence on behalf of customers across the region.”

“By becoming part of the Amazon family, we’ll be able to vastly expand our delivery capabilities and customer selection much faster, as well as continue Amazon’s great track record of empowering sellers.”

Souq is also of great added value to Amazon.

“Souq gives Amazon an immediate leg up rather than building a new service from the ground up: the company includes both a payments and fulfillment infrastructure, along with a marketplace that already has some 4 million products and works with thousands of merchants to help sell their goods online,” according to Tech Crunch.

Souq’s success continued with the series of actions taken by the platform following its acquisition by Amazon including White Friday.

Successful White Friday

Dubai-based online shopping site Souq.com prepared for a big shopping celebration from November 22 to November 25 with over 500,000 deals to choose from its website on the occasion of WhiteFriday.

“The selection on Souq has changed drastically over the last seven-to-eight months. We’ve gone from almost 2.5 million to near 8.5 million so a lot of choice to customers and with that the number of brands cooperating and working with us on the event has grown to about 16,000 brands,” Mouchawar told the media on the occasion.

Souq’s success has become inevitable with all the successful activities it managed to launch. Are other e-commerce platforms inert?

Noon-eXtra partnership

Noon signed earlier this year a partnership agreement with United Electronics Company (eXtra) that establishes the Saudi electronics giant as Noon’s exclusive partner for a range of consumer electronics and home appliance items such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Braun, Kenwood and Moulinex, among others.

The two companies will collaborate on commercial, marketing and supply chain platforms to bring a world-class shopping experience to the region’s online shoppers.

Wadi: On the right track

According to the Entrepreneur, a platform for news about entrepreneurs in the world, Wadi, this year alone, has brought on prominent partnerships with international brands, including Nokia, Samsung and Reebok.

“Continuing its focus on providing prime customer service and a well-built platform for sellers, Wadi seeks to grow its international product portfolio for customers and sellers to access global brands without added shipping costs. For the rest of the year, they are also targeting expansion plans for Wadi’s sales and grocery business,” it said.

Dana Halawi has over seven years of experience in Journalism with articles published in multiple magazines and a newspaper in Lebanon. She specialized in Banking and Finance at the Lebanese American University and has a Master’s degree in International Affairs.

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